Windows Phone has an interesting quirk — one that has baffled users for a while. Unlike most other handsets it is not possible to charge whilst the device is switched off. This has caused annoyance as it is usually the case that faster charging rates can be achieved with devices that are switched off.

This might sound a bit strange, and it could well be something you’ve never noticed. But plug in your phone, switch it off and it will immediately power back up.

Should your battery completely run out, it will briefly charge until it has enough power to boot, and then the operating system will be automatically loaded.

But owners of HTX 8X and 8XT handsets are reporting that, having upgrade to Update 3, powered-down charging is now possible. Now when powered-down and plugged in, these handsets display a battery icon on screen.

Have you noticed this with your HTC 8X or 8XT? We’d be interested to see if other handset manufacturers follow suit.